Hi guys

What kind of tricks will you teach to friends or layman.

Do you prepare any simple magic trick to teach them. I like all of my magic. I find that some of the very simple magic that is taught in kids book can be as amazing as those that requires complicated gimmick or difficult sleight of hands.

I'm very reluctant to teach any magic but I thought it might also be good to teach some. Who knows this friend or layman might also hit the magic bug and be the next David Copperfield or Cyril.

So... what kinds of tricks do you think can be taught to layman?

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......forum=41

Buy a book on Bar Bets, that way you can still teach something without going the exposure route. Never tell them how it's done. My opinion.
David Paul

Whenever I have taught laymen, I have always stuck to the EXTREMELY simple, even self working (no skill required) effects.

Whatever trick you teach, do not teach a second until they have practiced and mastered the first one.

Not really something I do however if I did I would go with a simple card trick that uses the key card principle.

Ditto on Warren's post. I pretty much only teach some version of a key card trick.

I like to teach the "black magic" trick that uses an accomplice -- where the "magician" leaves the room and the accomplice has everyone agree on an object in the room. The magician comes back in and the accomplice points to different objects and the magician "guesses" the one that the audience chose. Of course, it's always the one after the first black object that the accomplice points to.

In general, I strongly advise against teaching magic to laymen as part of your show. If you just want something to teach your friends or coworkers, you might try the Jumping Rubber Bands.

I've never taught a trick during any of my shows. I get asked by people how they can learn magic, from time to time. My reply is that there are classes available and they should check with a local magic shop.

I just show people something amazing like linking paper clip of a note or Möbius strip which is a shape with only one side and one edge. And when torn in half strange things happen. Also puzzles with coins are a good one. It’s just teaching them something from our world like a curiosity which is really needed.

I did a show as part of a team day for a business which was trying to promote creative thinking. After a small show I did a session were I taught them two tricks and looked at some puzzles and optic illusions. This is something I am puttinfg together as a item to offer to companies as it went down really well.

Just ask them, "can you keep a secret?" Then, say "so can I".

Regards,
Mike

The pencil is on top between thumbs now it is below . Also the two cork trick is nice in many ways and situations

Probably the best answer to the original question. I teach my 12 year old some stuff because she has a genuine interest in it, so there's no exposure going on. I won't show her more than one at a time and to learn another she must show me she can recall and perform anything I've taught her previously.

Mike, I would have a hard time with that line. Maybe it works for you and your particular style, but for me to say that I would come across as condescending.

I guess that would be okay when some asks "How did you *do* that?" and they aren't really expecting a serious answer. But if someone really wants to know and has an interest, I tell them the truth. The truth being that I checked out every magic book I could get my hands on from the library as a kid, and I studied and practiced. And that's "how you do it." No jokes, put downs or one-liners.

Again, just my style. Not saying I'm right and you're not.
dob

I'm most often asked to teach kids how to do tricks, but this is something that requires either written instructions or a DVD to act as a follow-up. It's extremely rare when a child can grasp a trick in one lesson.

As for adults, a well-motivated student can learn a simple effect. I still remember a high school kid who thought that he could learn to perform a linking ring routine in a one hour lesson, to impress his uncle who is a professional magician. I told him to bring a notebook and a VHS tape to record the lesson for future reference. He brought neither. An overwhelmed glaze formed over his eyes as he realized that he was in over his head. It's one thing for me to learn a new routine from someone who performs it regularly - I'm accustom to doing this, quickly. Laymen simply can't do this unless it's very simple.

Dobber,

I agree for the most part. If they are truly interested, I give them my biz card and have them call me. We then discuss resources that can help them further their knowledge.

Regards,
Mike

Buy a book on Bar Bets, that way you can still teach something without going the exposure route. Never tell them how it's done. My opinion.
David Paul

That's the route I would go. There are simple bar bets that don't expose magic and can satisfy the question. If they follow up with, "but I really want to learn magic," then recommend your favorite book or magic shop.

Hudson

I always thought that the french drop is an excellent thing to teach.
Then again, I never teach lay people.

However, if one asks, "I'd like to learn a magic trick, can you teach me one?"

The french drop is easy in theory, but takes a good long while to get it down.

That's speaking from experience, the first "trick" I ever learned was the french drop.

A simple rubber band trick. make the rubber jump from two fingers to the other two.

Penn and Teller did a TV show many years ago where everyone in the audience was given a TT. I remember many (probably most) magicians were upset about that, including me. After a decade or two to reflect, I'm guessing most of the people browsing in the Magic Café could have fooled most of the people in that audience the very next day doing an effect using a TT. I say if someone wants to learn a trick, teach them. Maybe they'll catch the bug and become great. I agree with only teaching one thing until they've shown they can perform it and keeping it simple. I think two card monte fills that bill only doing it with homemade glued together cards. Several of the other suggestions were also great. I think just a tiny bit of teaching is not exposure, it's encouragement.